EU foreign ministers are meeting in Limassol today for the informal Gymnich summit, hosted by Cyprus under its EU Council Presidency, with the foreign ministers of India and Saudi Arabia attending as special guests. The Middle East crisis and the war in Ukraine are among the items on the agenda.
The meeting is taking place at Limassol port and is co-chaired by Cyprus Foreign Minister Konstantinos Kombos and EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas. A press conference will follow at the end of the session.
Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar is in Cyprus just one week after President Christodoulides visited New Delhi. He will hold a brief meeting with the President this afternoon. The name of the Saudi Arabian foreign minister was not included in available official communications.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha attended a welcome dinner in Limassol on Wednesday evening.
Agenda
According to an announcement by the Cyprus Presidency Secretariat and the Foreign Ministry, ministers will discuss current and regional issues with the two high-level guests. The Middle East crisis is expected to feature prominently, with discussion of its geopolitical and regional consequences. Ministers will also assess the European response to the ongoing Russian aggression in Ukraine.
The preparation of a new European Security Strategy is also on the agenda, with ministers set to discuss strategic initiatives on security and defence, including the strategy’s development.
What is the Gymnich?
The Gymnich is the informal bi-annual meeting of EU foreign ministers, held under the rotating presidency of the Council of the EU. It is traditionally hosted by the foreign minister of the country holding the Presidency — which is why this session is taking place in Limassol.
No formal conclusions are issued. The format is designed to allow open, frank and strategic exchanges away from the strict procedures of formal Council meetings.
